


Cordis de Tragoediae

by InVitae



Category: Final Fantasy Type-0, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, How Do I Tag, Human Experimentation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rebirth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2019-08-02 19:29:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16311308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InVitae/pseuds/InVitae
Summary: Pulled from chaos and into the cycle of rebirth, what will be different in this new life?





	1. Prologue 1 - Cycle of Rebirth

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome!  
> First things first is that this isn't going to be a word for word recreation of the XV story.  
> There is going to be Mythos and Story changes.  
> It's probably super cliche at the start but it gets better (or at least i hope)

Silence and darkness...  
That's all there was in death when it came for me.  
  
I saw a light, after being in darkness for what felt like an eternity.  
It spoke to me...It spoke in the old language of Orience, ushering me to come back...  
  
'Reditus ad nos...'  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

When Ace first opened his eyes again, it had been in the arms of someone who would be 'Mother' from now on. On his right would be those that he would call his siblings, 8 year old Lunafreya and 12 year old Ravus. They look down upon him him with surprise and fascination while Sylva, his new mother, looks worried as the newborn had not even let out a cry since his birth.  
  
"He's a beautiful one Sylva, He seems to be well tempered already. I can tell he'll be a strong one as well."  
  
"He may be...though it is unfortunate that he will grow up without a father."  
  
Luna and Ravus' eyes cast down in sorrow as Regis is silent.  
  
"I know the reason for you coming here wasn't just to see the baby and say congratulations." Sylva questioned without turning her eyes away from the baby.  
  
"I have important news, would it be alright if the kids were to leave for a few minutes?"  
  
"Yes, Ravus, please take care of your new brother for a few minutes and take your sister outside for a bit."  
  
"I understand, Mother." Ravus says before taking Ace apprehensively and leaving the room with Luna.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~  
  
"Can I hold him?" Luna asks as her eyes twinkle in delight.  
  
"Sorry, Luna, you're too small to carry him for now..."  
  
His eyes move away from his sister who is now pouting to look at Ace's plump face in curiosity as Ace stares back straight into his eyes. Almost as if in a trance, Ravus looks into the blues of his eyes and the world is whisked away while the voice of his sister is but a far memory.  
  
The trance is shattered and their eyes part as the sound of the door opening , and Sylva announcing- "We have discussed much, but I am sure about one thing. Your baby brother's new name is Ace." She says with a smile gracing her lips.


	2. Prologue 2 - Canvas of his eyes

4 years had passed since Regis had last visited. Ace had learned how to walk and learned how to speak fairly fast and well over the years even without his memories. The Fleurets were surprised how fast he learned, as if he had known it all before...

Lunafreya and Ravus spent lots of time with him, though Ravus tended to act aloof...but he really loved Ace.  
Eventually, they had to leave Ace with the maids for they had lessons and duties to perform of their own.

Though on the fateful week Noctis and his father Regis are coming to visit Tenebrae to recover from an attack by Niflheim, Ace would remember everything.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"-this is Umbra and my little brother Ace. Say hello, Ace." Luna urged Ace to say hi to Noctis.

Luna and Noctis had already talked with each other earlier and became quite close in such a short time as well. Bringing Noctis into Ace's room where Umbra, Luna's dog, seems to enjoy his time. Though usually around with Lunafreya, Umbra seeks Ace out quite frequently and let's the little boy sleep on top of him.  
To the voice of Luna, Ace stirs from his nap on top of Umbra and rubs his eyes.

"Hello." Ace said quietly as he hid his face into Umbra's fur.

Noctis squirmed a little uncomfortably in his wheelchair and whispered a shy hello back. Ace looked back up as he had heard the hello and his big blue eyes stared up in curiosity.

"What happened?"

"Huh?"

"Ace, it's very rude to-" Lunafreya was about to reprove him but Noctis tries to remedy the situation.

"It's alright...I just got into a little accident, that's all." Noctis says with a fake smile.

"Prince Noctis, he should know better. I'm sorry he asked such a personal question so insensitively."

"I thought we agreed upon just our names, Luna?"

"Yes...you are quite right." She agrees with a smile.

As the two break eye contact, they notice that Ace has stood up with a pout and trudges over to Noctis and tugs on his shirt for his attention. Before the little one can say anything, Lunafreya comes over and picks him up and whispers that he should apologize before anything else.

"I'm sorry Prince Noctis..."

"I said it was alright, but I accept your apology." Noctis says with a smirk.

"So! Is the Carbuncle your favorite animal? I saw you sleep with a little statue of it and it's really cute!...Though I got a strange feeling when I entered the room..."

Caught off guard, Noctis thinks to himself 'animals, huh?' as he looks into Aces curious blues.

"And how did you know that he had one when only a few people were allowed to see him?" Luna asks with an eyebrow lifted in intrigue and amusement. Ace's happy face suddenly formed into one of horror and quickly tears, as he realized what was said.

"Maybe I...sneaked in. I-I heard there was someone close to my age and I wanted to become friends and-and um..." the 4 year old starts wiping his tears and sniffling. Alarmed, Noctis tries to go back on subject.

"...I like Carbuncles but i'd have to say my favorite would be the Chocobos."

"I like Chocobos too!" Like a switch, Ace's mood turns back to one of pure joy. Glad at the turn of events, Noctis decides to keep him happy as he's really starting to grow on him.

"With how feathery your hair looks, you kinda look like one too!" Noctis says with a smile as he jokes. Ace beams at this.

"Really!? You mean it? Kweh-kweh!!" Ace excitedly imitates a Chocobo. Noctis starts laughing and Luna is giggling in the back.

"So, wanna be friends? I don't have very many and i'd like to be yours! I only have Luna and Ravus...and I guess the maids and Gentiana are friends too but, I want you to be my friend as well!"

With Ace grinning so wide and radiating an air of hope, Noctis could do naught but accept.

"We may have started off a little rocky...But yes Ace, i'll be your friend!" With glee Ace holds onto Noctis' hands. That's when he saw a strange birthmark underneath the sleeve of Ace's white sweater, on his arm...

Weird...

"That reminds me, Noctis and I are going to be exchanging messages using Pryna. We should make you a book to use as well and we can send them together!" Luna chimes in.

"That's a great idea, what do you think Ace?"

"I like it!"

Little did they know, Noctis would never get any replies from Ace.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

 A few days later, The Oracle Sylva Via Fleuret would take her children and her guests to the Tenebraen Forest. The water there is said to be made of magic and could invigorate the Oracle's powers of healing.  
Therefore, she would take him there to finish being healed and they could be on their way back to Lucis. Unfortunately, It's at this time that The Empire of Niflheim would set their attack in action.

_'Principium finis venit...'_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Principium finis venit - The Beginning of the End has come.
> 
> I would've made it longer and more in depth in building somewhat of a relationship between them but I don't wanna make the Prologues longer than they have to be.


	3. Prologue 3 - Malevolent Flames

Barely after arriving, Niflheim soldiers raided them and amidst the chaos was Ace being pulled away by a guard who was soon shot down right in front of him. Ace standing there frozen, watched maids and guards being slaughtered in front of him with wide fearful eyes. The screams sounding far off as he was unable to move as a soldier of the Empire turned around, stretching their arm to grab him.

"Ravus!"

As if something clicked, he was able to move again after hearing his mothers voice. Take a few steps backwards away from the soldier, Ace turns around and sprints through the raging battle looking for his mother. After ducking pastt a couple of Nifleheim soldiers who seemed to be more focused on carnage rather than catching him, he came across a scene of fierce flames.

"Mother!" Ravus screamed as she was stabbed through the chest by General Glauca.

General Glauca turned around and chased after the Lucian king and prince. As if left behind by the General's wake, flames were everywhere and Ravus was in anguish over his mother who lay dead. Ace was shocked as he stared at the scene, grief of his own starting to bubble up inside. Looking away, his attention moved to the flames...As he stared at them they seemed to grow bigger and brighter in his already wide eyes. The flames danced and almost seemed beautiful until a pain in his head detracts him and like an explosion, images and voices raided his mind as he remembered whom he once was.

_"Will you children be able to make it?"_

A singled out voice among a flood of them is heard. Arecia, no...Mother's voice is prominent.  
Remembering the last time he saw her, he forgets his surroundings and the voice of Ravus who is screaming for Regis.

_"Humans are the only ones that can choose how they live-and how they die."_

"Ace!" Luna screams out as she had seperated from Regis and Noctis, running towards the 4 year old.  
Ace barely registers his sister embracing him as he's stuck in his own memories.

"Are you okay?"

_"-Ace...Ace...! Are you okay?"_

The voice of his sister and Cater overlap each other. He remembers huddling with his brothers and sisters after building a flag out of their weapons...and passing away together while holding hands.

"Don't look, Don't look! It's okay now. I'm here!"

_"I'm here!"_

His own voice inside his head startled himself as his brain focused on a memory of someone long forgotten. Laying with his Chocobo, and both bloodied and gravely injured.

**_Izana...Chichiri..._ **

Ace returned to reality as his brother and Luna are trying to move him away from the Niflheim soldiers.

"Don't you dare touch Lunafreya and Ace!" Ravus snarls at the soldiers that have surrounded the trio.

 Ace looks down upon his own trembling hands as pain in his body intensifies like he's being burned alive. His cheeks wet with tears as he glares up in anger at the General that has walked towards them.  
Burning emotions form within himself as he stares at Glauca who you can feel the stare back through his helmet. Images of another figure taking his place not knowing what it is but feeling like hes seen it before, just adds fuel to the fire.

"Calm down, we're not going to hurt you." General Glauca says with a gruff voice.

"Calm down?! You just cut down my Mother and you say you're not here to hurt us?!" Ravus yells.

"...Just take them away." Glauca orders his soldiers. 

"Stay back!" Ravus cries to them. A soldier walks up to ravus, moving to grab him. All of a sudden Ravus sucker punches him in the face. This action halts the other soldiers as they watch the soldier who had been struck grab Ravus' arm that had been shot and squeeze it. Screaming in pain, Ravus listens to the soldier that whispers to him.

"It's better to just comply for now...then we can do something about this situation." He let's go and Ravus collapses.

"Ravus!" Luna screams to him unsure whether to go to him or stay with Ace.

"Is that child okay?" Glauca asks Lunafreya.

"What?" She looks over to Ace who is still in her arms and realizes his shaking had gotten worse and breathing become heavy.

"I'll kill you..." Ace utters under his breath.

"Ace...?" 

Feeling something climbing up to the surface inside himself, the pain grows and grows as he glares at the General until he's unable to contain whatever wants to break free inside.  
Instead of something happening he just collapses as the feeling disappears all of a sudden.

"Ace!" Luna cries as shes holding his limp body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter should be the end of the prologues!


	4. Prologue 4 - Awaken

"Dede te mihi."

"What?" Ace says as he's standing inside Pandæmonium, in the form of how he was at 16 while in his Black uniform with the signature red cape of Class Zero.

He stares at the figure that is horribly distorted in the center of the sea of blood, the same figure that was in place of General Glauca.

"Surrender yourself to me...for you will in time..." The figure points towards him, and in reaction, Ace winces as his arm burns.

Dropping to one knee in pain, he watches as the figure distorts even more into the darkness that surrounds it, but then he hears it. The haunting voices that lurk within.

"No...! That can't be, stop!" The boy yells towards the distortion tears forming in his eyes. Trying to get up, he tries to drag himself towards it.

The voices...The voices sound like his classmates, his siblings. They're crying out to him in agony and despair, full of pain.  
Then a light takes over his eyes and the soft voice he had heard long before calls out to him.

"Reditus ad nos. Finis non venit hodie..."  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~  
"-You're awake!" Lunafreya exclaims happily.

Ace, with his eyes wide open, looks over towards his sister. She's sitting next to the bed holding his hand, and she has a gentle but sad smile on her face. Slowly trying to sit up and realizing how sweaty he is from the way the sheets stick to him, Luna helps him and tells him to take it easy. When he looks back at her, she's fiddling awkwardly, looking like she wants to say something but can't bring herself to. That's when Ace notices the Niflheim soldier stationed at the door. Lunafreya noticing Aces near (what she would think to be) panic, She positions herself in front; blocking Ace's view of the soldier.

"It's okay, they won't hurt us. I know a lot has happened, but I have to ask you to try to be strong."

"Luna...What happened?"

"You-you don't remember?"

"No, I mean what happened while I was out."

"Oh..." Her eyes cast down, wishing secretly that he had not remembered what had happened that day.

"You've...You have been out for 5 weeks Ace. And the Niflheim Empire has taken control of Tenebrae."

Ace's mouth shapes into an 'o' at this news.

"I have to say...you shouldn't have had to experienced what had happened and see what you saw. I am deeply regretful that I was not with you."

"Luna..." Ace trails off...

"Forget what I said earlier about being strong, are you okay, Ace? And I mean really, don't try to lie to me."

He smiles to her at this.

"I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me. It's..."

'It's not like I haven't been exposed to those things before." Is what he wanted to say, but that would just add more questions and none he would like to deal with.

"You just...say you're fine, but you seem so different now even though you've only been up for a few minutes." She says as her hands start to tremble in her lap.

"..." With nothing to say to that, he shuffles over to the side of his bed and puts his hand atop her trembling fingers. With his other hand he brings them close and they touch foreheads. Ace used to do this with his younger siblings when they were younger when they got sad.

"I...Where's Ravus?" He asks realizing his brother had been nowhere in the room.

"He...joined the Niflheim army." Lunafreya says in a small voice.

"What?" Ace pulls away and says with a loud tone, one loud enough that even the Niflheim soldier that had been guarding the door had turned his head toward them. Luna, giving the soldier a side glance, whispers to Ace.

"There's a good reason...though I cannot say here, I'll tell you in time."  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

「Four weeks earlier」

"You're going to what?!" Lunafreya nearly yells at Ravus as he had explained to her that he was to join the Niflheim army.

"You know that I can't let them do whatever to us! Those Lucians practically invited the Empire to our doorstep and now I have to make a choice. I care not if you agree with the way I go about it."

"So you're just going to be the Empires lap dog and betray us and your people?! Just for some pitiful revenge that doesn't even make sense in itself?"

"It's not like that! Niflheim, Lucis, they can both burn for all I care. But you and Ace, I need to protect you two..." His hand clenches.

"This is the only way I can think of protecting you two from the Empire, If I can climb up the ranks..."

"Ravus."

Luna glares at him.

"Do you even realize what Ace has been through? He's four! He just watched his Mother and people that he knows die! When he wakes up, I don't know how he is going to be...but I do know one thing. He needs his brother, Ravus. I will be there, but when I turn sixteen, I'm not going to be able to always be there. You know that."

 "IF you even make it to sixteen! I know all this and I will try to be there as much as I can, but you know they aren't going to just spare us Lunafreya. They couldn't care less if you're the future Oracle, they will do what they want with us unless I can do something about it."

Lunafreya sighs in defeat.

"Let me think on this, Ravus. And before you go joining the army, just...wait at least a week for Ace to wake up..." Lunafreya walks away from Ravus holding onto herself.

Ravus looks at the floor, wondering if he's truly making the right decision. Upon realizing something he looks up ahead, becoming determined to at least protect his siblings one way or another...  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

 "Miss. The commander wants to see you." The soldier says to Lunafreya.

"...Do you know the reason?" She inquires.

"No, I do not." he replies. Luna gives the man a strange look before turning back to her younger brother.

"Ace, please stay here. I'll return in a little bit." Luna gives the little boy a reassuring smile.

Standing up from her seat, she leaves the room being escorted by the Niflheim soldier. Ace glares at the door when it closes. Feeling like something bad's going to happen, he decides to follow them, ignoring what Luna had told him to do.  
Peeking his head through the door, he sees Lunafreya and the soldier turn a corner. Surveying the area before leaving the room, he sees no other soldiers and runs quietly to where Luna had gone. He had forgotten how tiny he was and laughed to himself how small he is.  
Keeping a decent distance as to not attract their attention, the two enter a room. Ace follows before stopping in front of the door and pushing his ear to it, listening.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

 "To what is the pleasure for being in your presence, Commander Ulldor?" Lunafreya politely but hesitantly asks. The room is dark and the storm that is raging outside is nearly the sole source of light of the room.

"Soldier, you may leave." The Commander says not moving to turn around to the two as he stares outside the window. The soldier salutes and then leaves.

Caligo Ulldor turns around to face Lunafreya, his face not one of happiness.

"Your damned people are not cooperating, Nox Fleuret."

"You expect them to kneel to you, after you have raided their home and taken away their freedom?"

"You...! Don't take that tone with me, you know full well what will happen if you as so much have a toe over this set line of ours."

"My apologies...Commander." A feeling of unease creeps up on Luna.

"Good. Know your place. Tomorrow, I expect you to make a speech to the masses and MAKE them cooperate."

"A speech from me won't make them cooperate, Commander. It will only serve to reinvigorate the will to resist."

"Is that so..."

Caligo moves from his spot in front of the window, and threatenly moves towards Lunafreya before grabbing her arm and handling her roughly.

"Perhaps I should beat you." He throws Luna to the ground.

"Don't!" She screams as she tries to crawl away in fear.

"Beat you and present your body to the people and show them what will happen when they don't conform with the Empire!" 

"Don't you dare touch her!" Caligo freezes and turns around staring at the young boy who yelled at him. The soldier from earlier is standing in the back outside the door unsure of what to do.

"What are you doing here?" The man asks unamused.

"Just step away from her."

"Ace! What are you doing? Run!" She yells towards her younger brother, worried for his safety.

"What are you going to do? Defeat me with your tiny hands?" The Commander laughs at the little boy who is standing ready to fight.

Nearly giving himself to doubt at what he can do with his tiny body, the feeling Ace had before he passed out during the Niflheim raid of Tenebrae came back. This time it's stronger, he feels like something is creeping up inside him, ready to be unleashed.  
Forgetting about Lunafreya, Caligo Ulldor walks towards Ace with a lopsided smirk on his face. The smirk slwoly faded as he realized the air became strangely colder the closer he got to the child.  
Everything happened so fast, before Caligo knew it there was ice protruding from his shoulder. Eyes wide in shock, he reaches to the ice that has impaled him and the pain comes.

"AGH!"

"Commander!" The soldier yells, coming inside the room wary of the child who is standing there looking at their hands in amazement.

"Fucking kid is corrupted by Lucian magic! Go get reinforcements!"

The soldier runs out.

"Ace...?" Lunafreya gets up and walks slowly over to with confusion on her face. Grabbing his shoulders and looking him in the eyes.

"How...? Nevermind that, you have to get out of here quick!" She grabs Ace pulling him out of the room, but they are met with a group of soldiers surrounding them. They push Luna out of the way and grab Ace, pinning him to the floor before putting cuffs on him.

"Damn kid impaled me with his magic! End him!"

"LET ME GO!" Ace screams.

"Sir, he's only four! We can't-"

"I DON'T CARE!"

"NO! Please don't do this he was only trying to protect me!" Lunafreya cries to the Commander.

"Remember the deal? You can't do this!" She tries to reason with him. The room goes quiet as everything stops at the arrival of a certain individual.

"Well well well...What do we have here?" A man with red-violet colored hair strides in.

"Ardyn..." Commander Ulldor spits the name out of his mouth.

"You know you can't hurt this child, Commander Ulldor. However, thanks to your...actions, we may have more use of this child than we originally thought."

Shooing the Soldiers away from Ace, he helps the child up and pats the dust off the kids clothes. 

"Ardyn Izunia at your service." He bows to the young boy. 

"-and Lady Lunafreya, it is a pleasure to meet you for the first time." He smiles to her.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

Hearing the shouts from down the hallway, Ravus quickens his pace. Rushing, he turns the corner nearly bumping into someone.

"Ah, Young Ravus, came to see the commotion as well?"

"Ardyn..." Ravus' face scrunches up in disgust. 

Knowing he is just going to get a glare as a response, Ardyn tips his hat before striding down the hallway towards the screams. Ravus follows closely behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant for this to be the last prologue, but it ended up being too long and i'll finish it in the next chapter.  
> There's going to be more Ravus next chapter, he's not getting enough screentime lolol


	5. Prologue 5 - Years beyond reach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I edited the ending of the last chapter since I wasn't happy with it. Might edit the rest of the chapter properly when I feel like doing it.  
> The story starts getting much darker from here...Kinda felt like the part was a little much tbh.

"Where are you taking him?"

"Oh! Just taking him down the hall to have a nice friendly chat with the little one." Ardyn gives Ravus a crooked smile.

"I'm coming with."

"You are staying right here with your sister to clean up this mess. Perhaps even convince your sister to heal that pig if you will, minimize the consequences."

"I-"

"It's fine, brother." Ace speaks, not bothering to look up to his brother.

Before Ravus could argue, Ardyn puts his hand on Ace's back and guides him away from them.

"Ravus!"

His head turns to the sound of his name, a weight crashes into him wrapping it's arms around his waist.  
Lunafreya, with her face buried in his chest was crying profusely. With her shoulders shaking, she looks up to him.

"They were going to kill him, Ravus! They were hurting him and I could do naught but watch!"

Ravus was at a loss for words, he had no idea what the situation was but he knew what he had to do. Rubbing her back, his voice soft...

"It's going to be okay, Luna. We must look to the future and pray for there is nothing we can do for the moment."

"Look to the future..."

Brushing away her tears, she looks up towards her elder brother.

"I've changed my mind. Ravus, I believe that you should join them. I've realized just how powerless we are and if at least you could provide some protection, that is all we need."  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"And here we are!" Ardyn lifts his arms up with exaggeration.

"Ah, you've returned Ardyn. Ah, you've brought the child." An older looking man looks up from the book he had been reading. Putting down his book before standing up and walking towards the young boy, crouching down and grabbing Ace's chin within his fingers.

"Young, delicate looking, healthy..." Turning Aces face to look at him before the young boys face scrunches up and roughly pulls the mans hands away from him.

"...and a brat." He sighs before standing up ignoring the glare the blonde was giving him.

"This is as long as I can stay, Ardyn. The demand of scientific studies must not be halted for an introduction to one subject."

"Subject?" Ace questions.

"Oh, did I say subject? I meant child." The old man smirks before exiting.

"I'll await you in Niflheim, Ardyn."

"Nevermind the old man little one. there is a matter in which I would like to speak with you about"

Not a care at the nickname he has been given. Lifting a brow, Ace ushers him to continue.  
Kneeling down, Ardyn puts a hand on the younger's shoulder.

"Tell me litte one, why do your eyes look as old as mine?"  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"The Emperor will hear about this from me!" Ulldor nearly screams towards the siblings. Earning a horrified look from Lunafreya and a red-faced seething Ravus.

He rushes out the room holding his shoulder, brushing aside the soldiers. Cursing down the halls.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"I suggest we become friends, little one."

"And why is that?" Ace says apprehensively.

"You see, we have similar fates you and I. And neither of us willing to bend knee for a destiny we never asked for. So I ask you once more, shall we become friends?"

After much thought, and going over the conversation they had. Ace comes up with an answer.

~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~  
「３ Days later」

Lunfreya had done her speech to the masses of Tenebrae 2 days prior. Instead of doing what Ulldor asks of her she explains to the people that she will do everything within her power as the future Oracle to make things right.  
Now, back at the manor, Ravus and Luna had been put under house arrest hoping Ace the best as they hadn't heard about him in days. The soldiers keeping watch wouldn't let their tongues slip. The worry was weighing down on them.  
Midday, Ulldor barges into their room telling them to come with him. Following him they enter the deepest part of the Fenestala.  
Within a dark room that they enter, they see Ace with his hands cuffed behind his back and sitting on his knees. Before either of the siblings could question what was going on Ulldor announces to the room.

"I have spoken with Emperor Aldercapt! Within my power I shall pass punishment with the grace of our Emperor!"

Smiling crookedly and locking eyes with Lunafreya's wide ones, he continues as he puts up his hand.

"Nine lashees to the back! Three for each of the displays of disobedience." he motions his hand down and the soldier in the back moves behind the child with a whip in his hand and starts to strike. Ace bites his lips and put his chin to his chest, eyes closed.

"STOP!" Lunafreya cries out to them, while Ravus tries to run up to stop them but is held back by the soldiers.

"Silence, girl. Bite your tongue if you must or would you like to add more lashes to the punishment you've given him?"

"What...?" cries in disbelief.

"You didn't know? You disobey me, have him attack me, and then mess up everything at the speech two days ago! Nine lashes, Lady Lunafreya. Don't make me count twelve." Ulldor glares at her.

Through all of Ravus yells and curses at them to stop and Lunafreya's tears, a scream breaks out at the eighth lash and they watch as their baby brother collapses to the floor in pain.

"Ace!" Ravus screams out in fear.

True to their word, they whip the child once more. Counting nine.

They let go of Lunafreya and Ravus and they run over to him. Onto her knees in a heartbeat, she sets on healing the youngest of the Fleurets.

"Don't close your eyes on me, Ace!"  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

Opening his eyes to white, Ace sits up and looks around the an unfamiliar room that is very much unlike the Fenestala manor. His eyes soon land upon a figure sitting on a sofa in the middle of the room reading a magazine. Ace speaks up.

"Where am I?"

The figure looks up and and removes himself from the couch before walking towards the bed, settling himself on a chair next to it.

"Ah, you're awake little one. You are in Niflheim. More specifically, in a facility in Niflheim." Ardyn says. Ace notes the boredom in his voice.

"You must be wondering why you're here. You'll know in due time, however, I must let Bisithia know you're awake." He presses a button on a remote that was placed beside the bed the blonde was residing on.

A few moments later an older looking man walks in.

"He's awake I see. Come, bring him to the lab we have much work to do."  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~  
「３ Years later」

"It is time that we start training the child for he is at a ripe age. Your research can be done on the side, Bisithia." Emperor Aldercapt declares.

"Yes, my Emperor. We shall get our best to train him."

"No need, we shall let the eldest of the Fleurets train him. Not only is Ravus brilliant with the sword, but he will be able to make this...child more cooperative."

Off to the side of the throne room, Ardyn looks on with a far off look.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"I wish to have time alone with my brother after sessions." The eldest of the Fleurets requests at the behest of the Emperor.

"That is acceptable. I've held you in my highest regards for this job, do not let me down."

"I will do my best, my Emperor..."  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"Ravus? You are the one to be training me?" Ace looks on in disbelief as his brother walks into the training room brandishing two swords.

"We will begin with our lessons, starting now." His elder brother announces as his eyes look to the side catching a glimpse of the soldiers guarding the doors.

Ace wanting to say more closes his mouth before Ravus hands over a sword the youngest, he steps away and instructs the 8 year old to show him how he thinks a sword stance would be like.  
Getting into position, Ace finds himself reminded of days past...  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"That cannot happen again, Ace! You were almost cut in half and I don't know if Mother can bring you back from something like that!" Queen furiously states.

"Are you doubting Mother's ability, Queen?"

Queen pushes up her glasses.

"I am not...I'm just worried if there is a time that we can't be brought back. Which is why I've decided to teach you some sort of self defense with a sword!"

"What? I don't nee-"

"Don't give me that, or i'll arrange Eight to teach you some hand to hand. Come." She walks off towards the Arena. Sighing, Ace follows behind.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"Hm, a stance for the use of a rapier. Interesting." Ravus comments before adjusting the way Ace holds himself.

"Now, come at me with everything you got so i can get an idea of where to start."

Before Ravus could blink, like lightning, Ace rushed him, clashing with his own sword as the child tried to skewer him with the tip. Though surpised at his speed he notices that Ace is very sloppy with his sword play, though definitely not a beginner, Ravus could easily overpower him.  
Countering he knocks Ace to the ground. Landing on his butt, Ace smiles brightly at Ravus earning a smile back from the elder.

"I've forgotten what this was like." Ace comments with a laugh as he gets up. Ravus' smile drops with a chill up his spine.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"You're absolutely abhorrent with a sword. This will take much longer than I thought." Queen eyes the boy that's on the ground.

"I'm more used to dodging than guarding with a weapon."

"I suppose so." She sighs.

She stands there in the middle of the arena with her hand stretched out to the blonde on the ground. Helping him up she readies her sword once more.

"We will keep going until you have a semblance on at least guarding, that is all I ask."

She lunges forward.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"By the gods...you've grown so much." Ravus says as he embraces his brother upon the soldiers leaving the room to give them some time alone.

"And you've...grown your hair." Ace replies.

"Heh, nice try." Ravus ruffles the boys hair.

"They took you away three years ago...what have they done to you?" Ravus squeezes Aces hand, his face in an expression of worry.

"...If I were to say, it would upset you." He says looking Ravus straight in the eyes.

"I'm already upset."

"..."

Before Ace could even think of anything to say, they hear a bark in the room. Looking towards the door a black dog comes running in.

"Umbra? Does that mean Lunafreya is here?" Ravus questions in disbelief.

Ace forms a smile as the dog comes up to him and sits, waiting to be petted.

"No, she sends messages to me using Umbra whenever she can."

He soon looks to the dogs back and takes off the book that had been fastened on him. Ace shows Ravus the book.

"You've been able to keep in contact with her? I've only been allowed minimal visits with her." Ravus takes the book looking at the contents.

"Ever since she started her training to become Oracle, she hasn't sent as many. I never get to reply to her though. They confiscated my journal to Noctis when they found it and never give me any writing utensils..." Aces face holds a tint of sadness through the near emotionless expression he wears. Handed back his book, Ravus, though irked at hearing the name Noctis, decides to go back to his earlier conversation.

"Ace...please tell me what they do to you. I need to know. I know it must be hard but you can talk to me." He looks the child in the eyes, pleading.

"...It hurts, what they do to me. I can handle it though. The experiments, are weird. Though the one that hurts the most is called the Wallbreaker Wave." His voice turns to a whisper as he glaces towards the doors. Umbra whines and hides it's face into Ace's chest. He continues.

"I've been able to push them off track in the making of it, but they've been catching on. Punishing me every time I don't do what they want. They even threatened to turn me into what I've seen them do to those kids that are a little older than me. I think it's worth it though. It'll save people if they can't get it working properly."

"'Wallbreaker Wave'...Interesting. I will look into that, however..." Ravus trails off as he puts his hands on the younger boys shoulders.

"You really shouldn't put yourself in that position, Ace. Please." Ravus nearly breaks at the words he hears next.

"It's not your choice."  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

"Is it okay if you can sneak me in some cards?" Ace asks after being gifted a pen by his brother. 

"I'll see what I can do, but you must hide them well." 

"Thank you, Ravus" He smiles and gives a hug to his brother.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

「１year later」

"You wish to have me spar with this kid?" Loqi states in disbelief.

"Yes, it would do him good to fight someone other than me, someone with a different style and tactics. It would do no good to underestimate him even if he's much younger than you."

"Well, we'll see about that"

Ace, already in a stance similar to how Ravus holds himself, waits for Loqi Tummelt to ready his blade.  
Upon Ravus' command they begin their sparring. Ace lunges towards the other boy, nearly knocking the blade out of the others hand. Loqi recovers and slashes at the younger. The timing of the blades getting faster each hit, Loqi with his strength overpowers Ace and sends his arms to the side and slashes.

"No!" Ravus yells as he watched his brother be slashed across the chest. He calls for the sparring match to be over.

Pain came last as something changed in Ace's demeanor upon being dealt a blow. Ignoring his brother, his eyes narrow as he starts again and his strikes become faster, more calculated, and heavier. Left with no openings, Loqi had to be on the defensive and was soon outmatched and was stabbed through the stomach with the younger's blade.  
It all went so fast as soldiers pointed their weapons at the young blonde. Ravus yells for a medic as Loqi coughs up blood. The medics had been right outside in case of accidents, and had the older boy up on a stretcher.

"Don't look, it's not your fault. He shouldn't have slashed you when you were open, he should've called the end of the match." Ravus says to his younger brother before he is brushed aside by medics to tend to the slash on the boys chest.

Ace watches on as the figure of Loqi disappears behind the door, groaning on his stretcher. ~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

After what had happened, Loqi had wanted to train with Ace. He would often give looks to the younger, whether it was in contempt, awe, or a sense rivalry, Ace wouldn't know. Though one day, Ace had been punished by Verstael without a reason. When it came time for his lessons, Ravus looked hesitant, acting colder each time they met. A few years later the punishments became less frequent and the his time with Ravus after lessons stopped. Training became more intense with Ravus yelling at Ace at every mistake.  
Ace, haven taken enough at one point, and had an argument with his elder brother. Telling Loqi to leave, Ace and Ravus argued at each other. Ravus let slip of his anger at the Lucians, especially Noctis. Including that he had been distancing himself to gain favor and was afraid that he or Lunafreya would cause more punishments to the youngest. The argument was very heated and Ace tried to talk sense into him but he wouldn't listen. Giving up, Ace left the room on a bad note.  
When Ace turned 14, he stopped listening to anyone including Ravus, and was soon taken out of training with his elder brother and back to the labs.  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~  
「１ Year later」

"Deputy High Commander!" A soldier salutes to Ravus.

"Let me in! What have they done?!" Ravus angrily opens the doors.

Stopping in his tracks, he stares at the sleeping form of his brother whom is hooked up to machines and the such.  
Kneeling before the bed he holds onto Ace's still hand. He notices the boy's pale complexion and his hair turned nearly white. 

"What did they do?" He questions the nurse with venom in his voice. 

"I-I don't know, sir! They brought him in just a few days ago. He's in a coma..." 

"Then bring someone in who does!" He barks at her.

Scared out of her mind, the nurse runs out to find someone who knows what had happened to the youngest of the Fleurets.  
He closes his eyes trying to calm down and squeezes the boys hand tightly. 

"This shouldn't have happened...he was suppose to be safe!" Ravus whispers to himself.

Feeling the hand squeezing and a singing voice, he looks up. 

"Walk on wandering souls for your respite we pray. Let our humble song clear your hearts of dismay." 

"Ace..."  
~__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________~

Ace was brought back to the Fenestala Manor as they had given up on the teenager. For the next year he spent his time with his sister, Lunafreya, whom had been more than happy to have him accompany her.

 

_The gears of fate will keep turning...how far will they make it?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to get this out sooner but I've been waiting for the release of Episode Ardyn and The Dawn of the Future novel.  
> Also parts are left vague for a reason, they will most likely be elaborated upon in later chapters, and if some aren't they are most likely suppose to be left up for the reader to interpret.  
> Also if any have questions about things regarding the story, or need something to be explained feel free to comment and I'll reply unless it contains spoilers for this.


End file.
